NovemBer
      15,
      2005
     
    
   
   
    
     
      Comrades;
     
    

    
     
      I
      should
      be
      taking
      this
      time
      to
      work
      on
     
     
      one
      of
      my
      many
      essays
      that
      are
      due
     
     
      this
      month,
      but
      after
      reading
      the
     
     
      “Hammer
      and
      Sickle”,
      oops
      I
      mean
     
     
      “The
      Cadre”,
      last
      week
      there
      are
      a
      few
     
     
      issues
      that
      I
      don’t
      think
      I
      could
      live
      with
     
     
      myself
      ifT
      didn’t
      address...
      I’ll
      start
      first
     
     
      with
      an
      explanation
      for
      Brad
      Deighan
     
     
      and
      Zain
      Esseghaier,
      who
      both
      wrote
     
     
      logical,
      courageous
      letters
      to
      the
      editor
     
     
      last
      week,
      of
      why
      our
      “beloved”
      SU
     
     
      doesn’t
      feel
      it
      necessary
      to
      provide
      the
     
     
      students
      of
      this
      university
      with
      a
     
     
      breakdown
      of
      the
      budget.
      It
      is
      because,
     
     
      like
      all
      authoritarian
      regimes:
      once
      they
     
     
      gain
      power,
      they
      know
      what
      is
      best
      for
     
     
      all
      of
      us,
      and
      they
      aren’t
      responsible
      to
     
     
      their
      people.
      Prove
      me
      wrong
      SU,
      I
     
     
      know
      you
      can!
      But
      that
      isn’t
      the
      main
     
     
      reason
      why
      I’m
      writing.
      I
      wanted
      to
     
     
      provide
      some
      feedback
      to
      Will
      Cooper
     
     
      for
      his
      article
      “Food
      for
      Thought’,
     
     
      because
      he
      asked
      so
      politely
      for
      it,
      and
     
     
      I
      think
      there
      are
      some
      major
      questions
     
     
      that
      need
      to
      be
      posed
      of
      the
      picture
      of
     
     
      global
      communism
      that
      he
      paints.
      First
     
     
      off,
      what
      does
      Mr.
      Cooper
      mean
      by
     
     
      “we
      live
      in
      a
      secular
      world”?
      I
      myself
     
     
      may
      not
      embrace
      any
      religion
      as
      my
     
     
      own,
      and
      Canada
      (thankfully)
      is
      a
     
     
      secular
      country,
      in
      the
      fact
      that
      it
     
     
      recognizes
      the
      division
      between
      Church
     
     
      and
      State.
      But
      what
      about
      theocracies
     
     
      like
      Iran?
      Do
      you
      think
      they
      would
      want
     
     
      to
      jump
      on
      board
      with
      your
      idea?
      What
     
     
      would
      “we”
      do
      if
      they
      refused?
      Also,
     
     
      who
      decides
      what
      is
      best
      for
      this
      New
     
     
      World
      Order?
      “We
      do”,
      you
      say?
      Well
     
     
      what
      if
      there
      are
      those
      among
      the
     
     
      world’s
      population
      that
      don’t
      want
      to
     
     
      be
      coerced
      into
      doing
      something
      just
     
     
      because
      “The
      Many”
      decided
      it
      was
     
     
      right
      for
      them?
      Would
      there
      be
      some
     
     
      kind
      of
      “Island
      of
      Individuality”
      for
      them
     
     
      in
      the
      Pacific,
      or
      would
      we
      just
      shoot
     
     
      them
      in
      the
      back
      of
      the
      head?
     
    

    
     
      To
      tell
      you
      the
      truth
      Will,
      I
      don’t
      think
     
     
      you’ve
      ever
      thought
      about
      what
     
     
      freedom
      is,
      or
      how
      you
      would
      be
     
     
      living
      right
      now
      if
      this
      “prison”
      (very
     
     
      insulting)
      of
      Canada
      didn’t
      protect
      you
     
    
   
   
    
     
       
     
    
   
   
    
     
      LETTERS
      TO
      TH
     
    
   
   
    
     
      from
      the
      coercion
      of
      others
      by
     
     
      observing
      your
      individual
      rights.
      You
     
     
      have
      obviously
      noticed
      that,
      although
     
     
      there
      may
      be
      subtle
      differences
      in
     
     
      appearance,
      people
      are
      made
      up
      of
      the
     
     
      same
      things
      physically.
      But
      what
      I
      think
     
     
      you
      ignore
      is
      that
      mentally
      we
      are
      not
     
     
      the
      same.
      I
      and
      many
      others
      don’t
     
     
      believe
      that
      “we”
      all
      share
      a
      collective
     
     
      consciousness,
      though
      there
      are
      SOME
     
     
      people
      who
      may
      believe
      we
      do
      (which
     
     
      proves
      my
      point!
      ).
      Personally,
      I
      am
      glad
     
     
      that
      people
      choose
      to
      have
      different
     
     
      opinions
      and
      belief
      systems,
      but
      I
      won’t
     
     
      stand
      by
      and
      twiddle
      my
      thumbs
      when
     
     
      someone,
      who
      I’m
      sure
      isn’t-evil
      deep
     
     
      down,
      proposes
      an
      evil
      idea
      such
      as
     
     
      taking
      away
      my
      right
      to
      exist
      as
      an
      end
     
     
      in
      myself!
      Many
      of
      us
      do
      care
      about
     
     
      preventing
      wars,
      starvation,
      and
     
     
      unsustainable
      environmental
      practices,
     
     
      but
      you
      can’t
      force
      other
      people
      into
     
     
      caring,
      no
      matter
      how
      much
      it
      upsets
     
    
   
   
    
     
      _you.
      I
      was
      once
      a
      lot
      like
      you:
      young,
     
    
   
   
    
     
      unrealistic,
      and
      seeing
      the
      world
      as
      a
     
     
      prison,
      because
      I
      cared
      very
      much
     
     
      about
      other
      people
      and
      the
      state
      of
      the
     
     
      world.
      I
      still
      care,
      but
      ’ve
      realized
      that
     
     
      the
      only
      way
      I’m
      going
      to
      change
      the
     
     
      world
      is
      by
      putting
      work
      into
      it
      myself
     
     
      and
      not
      sitting
      quietly
      while
      someone
      is
     
     
      proposing
      something
      that
      will
      affect
      the
     
     
      lives
      of
      myself
      and
      others
      negatively.
     
     
      That’s
      why
      I’m
      writing,
      I
      hope
      you
      can
     
     
      take
      something
      positive
      away
      from
      this;
     
     
      life
      is
      what
      you
      make
      it.
     
    
   
   
    
     
      Thank
      you,
     
     
      Brent
      Slater
     
     
      bslater(@upei.ca
     
    
   
   
    
     
      Sir:
     
    
   
   
    
     
       
     
    
   
   
    
     
      Although
      I
      am
      trying
      to
      reduce
     
     
      my
      dependence
      on
      my
      car,
      I
      often
     
     
      need
      to
      drive
      when
      commuting
      to
      my
     
     
      job
      at
      the
      UPEI
      Library.
      When
      I
      do,
      I
     
     
      normally
      use
      the
      Belvedere
      Ave.
     
     
      entrance,
      opposite
      the
      Famers’
      Market,
     
     
      and
      I
      am
      getting
      very
      alarmed
      about
     
     
      the
      dangerous
      situation
      arising
      from
     
     
      people
      jaywalking
      across
      Belvedere
      to
     
     
      and
      from
      the
      Market
      parking
      lot.
      I
      have
     
    
   
   
    
     
       
     
    
   
   
    
     
       
     
    
   
   
    
     
      4+
      EDITOR
     
    
   
   
    
     
      witnessed
      two
      very
      close
      calls
      in
      the
      past
     
     
      week
      alone,
      and
      believe
      it
      is
      only
      a
     
     
      matter
      of
      time
      before
      someone
      is
      injured
     
     
      or
      killed.
     
    

    
     
      The
      danger
      is
      greatest,
      of
     
     
      course,
      to
      those
      crossing
      on
      foot,
      but
     
     
      those
      doing
      so
      are
      also
      putting
      others
     
     
      at
      risk.
      One
      morning
      last
      month,
      for
     
    
   
   
    
     
       
     
    
   
   
    
     
       
     
    
   
   
    
     
       
     
    
   
   
    
     
      example,
      I
      was
      pulling
      into
      the
      left-
     
    
   
   
    
     
      turning
      lane
      on
      Belvedere
      when
      an
     
     
      oncoming
      dump
      truck
      swerved
      to
      avoid
     
     
      a
      pedestrian
      about
      to
      dart
      out
      from
     
     
      UPEI,
      and
      very
      nearly
      hit
      our
      car.
      My
     
     
      wife
      and
      two
      small
      children
      were
      with
     
     
      me
      at
      the
      time:
      let’s
      justsay
      the
      moment
     
     
      stays
      with
      me...
     
    

    
     
      Now,
      yes,
      the
      truck
      could
      have
     
     
      been
      going
      slower,
      and,
      yes,
      some
      of
     
     
      the
      other
      incidents
      I’ve
      witnessed
      were,
     
     
      in
      part,
      due
      to
      driver
      error,
      and,
      yes,
     
     
      it’s
      a
      dangerous
      intersection
      anyway.
      All
     
     
      that
      aside,
      there
      is
      absolutely
      no
      safe
     
     
      way
      to
      cross
      any
      major
      traffic
      artery
     
     
      on
      foot
      (especially
      when
      there’s
      a
     
     
      turning
      lane
      in
      the
      picture)
      without
      using
     
     
      a
      designated
      pedestrian
      crossing.
      So,
      I
     
     
      have
      a
      deal
      to
      offer
      those
      who
      use
      the
     
     
      parking
      lot
      at
      the
      Market.
      My
     
     
      commitment
      to
      you:
     
    

    
     
      -
      As
      a
      motorist,
      I
      will
      approach
      the
     
     
      Belvedere
      Ave.
      entrance
      to
      UPEI
      with
     
     
      every
      ounce
      of
      care,
      caution,
      and
     
     
      attention
      I
      can
      summon
      (I
      think
      I
      was
     
     
      doing
      that
      anyway,
      but
      this
      will
      be
      a
     
    

    
     
      reminder
      to
      me,
      and
      a
      public
      promise
     
     
      to
      all
      of
      you).-
      As
      amember
      of
      the
      UPEI
     
     
      community
      and
      a
      citizen
      of
     
     
      Charlottetown,
      I
      will
      lobby
      for
      changes
     
     
      and
      improvements
      to
      be
      made
      to
      that
     
     
      intersection
      so
      that
      it’s
      safer
      for
      all
      of
     
     
      us.
     
     
      In
      return,
      I
      ask
      —
      no,
      I
      beg
      —
     
     
      that
      you
      PLEASE,
      PLEASE,
      PLEASE
     
     
      use
      the
      rails-to-trails
      crosswalk
      on
      the
     
     
      other
      side
      of
      the
      Farmer’s
      Market
      (and
     
     
      if
      you’re
      already
      doing
      so,
      God
      love
     
     
      ya).
      I’m
      a
      pedestrian
      some
      days,
      too,
     
     
      and
      I’ve
      timed
      it:
      using
      that
      crosswalk,
     
     
      instead
      of
      cutting
      straight
      across
     
     
      Belvedere
      from
      the
      Market
      parking
      lot,
     
     
      adds
      all
      of
      one
      minute
      to
      the
      walk.
      One
     
     
      minute.
      It’s
      a
      dangerous
      world,
      and
     
    
   
   
    
     
       
     
    
   
   
    
     
      THE
      CADRE
      ¢
      8
     
    
   
   
    
     
      we’re
      all
      blessed
      with
      a
      finite
      amount
     
     
      of
      grace
      and
      good
      luck.
      How
      much
      of
     
     
      that
      blessing
      —
      both
      yours
      and
      other
     
     
      peoples’
      —
      do
      you
      want
      to
      squander
     
     
      trying
      to
      trim
      60
      seconds
      off
      your
      run
     
     
      to
      and
      from
      campus?
     
    

    
     
      My
      family
      and
      I
      thank
      you
      very
     
     
      much
      for
      your
      consideration.
     
    
   
   
    
     
      Sincerely,
     
     
      Simon
      Lloyd
     
     
      UPEI
      Library
     
    
   
   
    
     
      PS:
      BTW,
      if
      the
      safety
      argument
     
     
      doesn’t
      do
      it
      for
      you,
      consider
      that
      -
     
     
      when
      —
      and
      it
      is
      a
      case
      of
      when,
      not
      if
     
     
      —
      somebody
      does
      get
      run
      over
     
     
      jaywalking
      from
      the
      Market,
      it’s
      a
      good
     
     
      bet
      that
      that
      lot
      will
      be
      closed
      to
      non-
     
     
      Farmers
      Market
      parking
      quicker
      than
     
     
      you
      can
      say,
      “Goodness,
      where
      did
      that
     
     
      truck
      come
      fr
      ...?”
     
     
      Proposed
      changes
      to
      class
      scheduling
     
     
      at
      UPEI
      would
      mildly
      disregard
      many
     
     
      people’s
      lives
      and
      livelihoods.
     
    

    
     
      Any
      such
      Changes
      would
      be
     
     
      relatively
      disruptive
      to
      affected
      students’
     
     
      other
      schedules
      with
      regards
      to
      work
     
     
      and
      home.
     
    

    
     
      While
      most
      employers
      are
     
     
      extremely
      reasonable
      when
      working
     
     
      around
      an
      employee’s
      class
      schedule,
     
     
      the
      sample
      of
      the
      suggested
     
     
      rescheduling
      that
      I
      saw
      defies
      reason.
     
    

    
     
      Families
      will
      suffer
      as
      well
      from
     
     
      the
      upheavals
      in
      life’s
      routine
      incurred
     
     
      when
      one,
      and
      often
      two,
      parents
     
     
      decide
      to
      attend
      UPEI.
      Proposed
     
     
      schedule
      changes
      would
      further
     
     
      exacerbate
      the
      stress
      these
      families
     
     
      already
      experience
      as
      they
      juggle
     
     
      personal
      schedules
      daily.
     
    

    
     
      Any
      of
      the
      above
      concerns
      also
     
     
      apply
      to
      professors,
      who,
      of
      course,
     
     
      have
      lives
      beyond
      the
      class.
     
    

    
     
      May
      I
      suggest
      no
      changes
      to
      a
     
     
      perfectly
      convenient
      schedule,
      a
     
     
      schedule
      conducive
      to
      achieving
      our
     
     
      personal
      goals.
     
    
   
   
    
     
      Thanks
      for
      your
      audience,
     
     
      Nancy
      Cudmore